Swinging mail box



A. MUNSON.

SWINGING MAlL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1920.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

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A. MUNSON.

SWINGING MAIL BOX. APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, I920- Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

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n IIIIIIIIIIIFIIIIIL F umrrn STATES PATENT ()fFlQ-E ANDREW MUNSON, OF KENYON, MINNESOTA.

swmeme MAIL :Box.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW MUNsoN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Kenyon, in the county of Goodhue and State of Minnesota, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Swinging Mail Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is primarily to provide a mail box and parcel post rack supported for swinging movement on the arc of a circle, and involving means for automatically returning the box and rack to normal position after such swinging movement.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described, which is simple in construction and thoroughly efficient in operation. 4

A further object is to provide a swinging mail box and parcel post rack which is susceptible of vertical adjustment on a supporting post or rod.

A further object is to provide a swinging mail box and parcel post rack carrying a name plate movable with the box and rack and which name plate may be used for indicia to indicate direction.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described, in which the rack is foldable, so that the capacity thereof may be varied.

With these objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction, comprising an arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, summed up in the claims and illustrated in the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of my device in operative position;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a view in front end elevation of the mail box and parcel post rack, the supporting means being omitted;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A 4 1922 1920. Serial No. 398,364.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the supporting means, and showing alsothe name plate carried thereby, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detached detail view, in perspective, of a portion of said supporting means.

Referring now in detail to the drawin s 1 designates a mail box, of any suitable or conventional construction, and 2 designates a parcel post rack, which, as shown. comprises essentially two pairs of curved side members, 3, 3. Said side members 3-3 are connected, one pair thereof to the bottom of the mail box, at each side thereof, and extending upward; and each side member 2 is in two sections connected by a hinge 4, whereby the upper section of each rack may be swung from the full line position shown in Figures 1 to 3, to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3.

It will thus be seen that the mail box 1 and the parcel post rack are connected, so as to present a unitary structure and that mail matter, such as letters, papers and the like, may be inserted in the mail box 1, and packages, such as parcel post matter, may be disposed between the exterior of the side walls of the mail box and the parcel post rack, as shown clearly in Figure 1.

The invention contemplates supporting the unitary structure before described, so as to be swung substantially through an arc of degrees; and in the drawings I have shown my preferred means to this end, which I will now describe:

5, 5 designate two bars, which are provided with apertures 6 throughout a portion of their length, whereby securing means, such as rivets 7, may be passed through said bars and throu h the bottom 8 of the mail box 1, so as to old said bars to the mail box. As shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, said bars extend longitudinally of the mail box bottom 8 on the under surface thereof and adjacent the sides of said bottom. Said bars 5, 5, at a point thereof adjacent one end of the mail box, are twisted ground, as shown in Figure 1, andpreferably sunk in a base 13 of concrete, which is in turn sunk in the ground. I r V 14 designates a bar, disposed at an inclination to the bars 10, 10, and secured at the lower end thereof between the bars 10, 10,as by means of a rivet 15. Said bar 14 carries at its upper end a collar '16, likewise loosely encircling the post 12 above the collar 11; and a brace bar 17 connects the bar 14 with the bars 10, 10 and is riveted, toward its upper end, as shown at 18, to the bar 14, and its other end is disposed between the bars 10, 10 and is riveted thereto, as shown at 19.

It will thus be seen that the unitary structure, comprising the mail box and the parcel post rack, may be swung on the arc of a circle, with the post 12 as a center.

The invention contemplates means for antomatically returning the structure to normal position, after being swung to the right or left; and thepreferred means are shown in the drawings and will now be described:

Said means comprise complemental coiled retractilesprings 18, 18, one endof each of saidisprings being secured to OIIBABIlCl of a bar 19" carrying intermediate its length a collar 20-which is maintained in fixed position with reference to the post12 against rotation'thereon by means of a set screw 21. The other end of each spring 18 is connected to one end of a flexible connection, such as a chain22, secured at its other end to one of thebars 10, as shown at 23; It will be notedthat the bar 19 may be adjusted vertically on the post 12 by loosening the set screw21, whereupon the collar 20 may be slid up and down on-said post, permitting the collars 11 and 16 to move up or down, thus adjusting the position of the mail-box and the parcel post rack :2 with reference to their; elevation above the ground.

The invention contemplates the provision of a name plate 24, which is designed to be oscillated with the mail box and parcel post rack, and to this end is preferably riveted, as shown at 25,'tothe bar 17, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The top of the bar 14 may carry a signaling device, such as a star 26, which may be detachably secured to said'end of the bar by any suitable means passing through said standard and through an opening 27 in the bar 14.

\Vhat I claim to be new is:

1. The combination with an upright of a cross-head rigidly carried by the upright, an arm mounted to swing about the up right and bear upon the cross-head, a receptacle carried upon the end of the arm and springs secured-adjacent the opposite ends of the cross-head and connected with the arm tending to hold said arm in a position perpendicular to the cross-head.

2. The combination with an upright of a cross-head rigidly and adjustably secured thereon, anarm embracing the upright and bearing upon the cross-head and presenting parallel members extending radially from the upright and terminating in spaced terminals, a receptacle securedto the spaced terminals and springs secured adjacent the ends of the cross-head and to the arm tending to hold the arm yieldingly perpendicular to the cross-head.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atfix my signature.

ANDREW MUN SON. 

